THE ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER FRAME

Timber frame is an engineered, quality assured, tried and tested building method that is the norm in most parts of the developed world. Some of the advantages of timber frame construction are identified below;

• 1. Insulation. The ability to insulate a timber frame construction to a very high specification and with relative ease is a massive advantage of timber frame homes.
• 2. Speed of Erection. A timber frame home can be wind and watertight within a few days – a time scale comparable to no other popular construction method currently employed in the UK. A major success of this is that other trades can be involved in the project earlier regardless of weather conditions promoting a more efficient and economical building project.
• 3. Quality. Timber Frame is engineered to the highest level of accuracy and is easier to achieve a high quality finish. Because a timber frame home is manufactured in a factory it is very accurate thus making it easier to erect on site. Further, compared to other construction methods, timber frame homes do not use the same quantities of water during construction meaning there are less drying out problems.
• 4. Sustainable Construction. Timber is a natural renewable resource. Timber frame has an inbuilt natural advantage in sustainable construction and already represents the most environmentally friendly commercial building material available.

Fleming Homes and Sustainable construction

• 1. Our timber frame homes already exceed the British regulations in thermal efficiency. Quality products and specific manufacturing techniques ensure that our homes are constructed with the intention of increasing a dwellings thermal efficiency and maintaining this efficiency for longer periods of time.
• 2. The manufacture of our timber frame homes aim to future proof a dwelling over their whole lifetime by limiting heat losses across the building envelope. Again, quality products combine with specific manufacturing detail to increase a dwellings ability to reduce unwanted energy emissions by maximising the air tightness of the construction.
• 3. An ‘eco’ design objective can greatly increase the sustainability of a timber frame home. Our experienced design team are astute in and committed to incorporating design features which impact on a dwellings ability to utilize natural energy sources.
• 4. The timber used for our homes is sourced from well managed forests. We recognize, encourage and practice the specification of responsibly sourced materials for the basic building elements and finishing elements of our timber frame homes.
• 5. From design through to manufacture we recognize the growing importance of those issues relating to the sustainability of our product and as a company we are committed to satisfying those issues to the highest of standards.

The Code for Sustainable Homes

The Code for Sustainable Homes was introduced in April 2007 and “is a voluntary standard, designed to improve the overall sustainability of new homes by setting a single framework within which the home building industry can design and construct homes to higher environmental standards”

The timber frame product supplied by Fleming Homes currently exceeds British regulations regarding sustainability. If a code related level of sustainability is required the entire project needs to be considered. Organisations such as the NHBC can carry out such assessments.

For more information on assessments please visit:
NHBC Sustainability Services

For more information on the Code of Sustainable Homes download:
The Code for Sustainable Homes

Timber Frame Homes Specifications from Fleming Self Build Scotland